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Galena council approves installation of nine statues on levee after trimming height to 80 inches
Summary
The City Council approved placement of nine bronze statues along the right descending bank levee near the floodgates, adopting an amendment to limit overall height to 80 inches; council and residents stressed placement, visibility and Corps of Engineers approval are still required.
The Galena City Council voted July 14 to approve installation of nine statues along the right descending bank levee near the floodgates, after amending the motion to cap statue height at 80 inches.
The project—originally proposed with statues about 88 inches tall including pedestals—was discussed for more than an hour as residents, project representatives and council members raised concerns about scale, sightlines, accessibility and required permits. Councilors amended the motion to set the statues’ overall height at 80 inches; the amendment carried and the final motion as amended was approved.
Council discussion focused on where visitors would best be able to view the grouping, whether the placement would block existing scenic views of the bridge and river, and whether the Corps of Engineers would permit the chosen location. Project speakers said the sculptures were intended to be contiguous so visitors could see the set of nine together, and that the manufacturer has cast some pieces and expects additional pieces back next month. The group discussed pedestal sizes and foundation depth; a project representative said the stone pedestal is about 5 feet and that foundations have been designed to stabilize the statues. Estimated city cost discussed during the meeting was about $200,000 for the group of statues.
Council members and residents suggested alternative locations along Main Street or in park areas, and several asked the project team to recheck visual impact and accessibility for residents with limited mobility. Council members noted that changing the location would require returning to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for approval because the project site moved from an earlier proposal; staff agreed to assist with the Corps submittal.
The council’s approval was conditional on the amended height and on follow-up steps to secure Corps of Engineers authorization and finalize placement. Council members also discussed options for reducing visible pedestal height by cutting stone or lowering pedestal profiles if feasible under foundation requirements.
The council did not adopt additional ordinance language or funding beyond the motion and directed staff and the project team to complete permit coordination and finalize installation details.
The project has been under discussion since about 2016 and proponents said the contiguous arrangement is intended to create a single interpretive display. Next steps are final location marking, Corps of Engineers review and completion of the cast pieces ahead of installation.
